{"id":5148,"date":"2022-07-19T10:35:49","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T10:35:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/07\/19\/seo-and-accessibility-30-tips-from-deaf-and-disabled-people\/"},"modified":"2022-07-19T10:35:49","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T10:35:49","slug":"seo-and-accessibility-30-tips-from-deaf-and-disabled-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/07\/19\/seo-and-accessibility-30-tips-from-deaf-and-disabled-people\/","title":{"rendered":"SEO and accessibility: 30+ tips from deaf and disabled people"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article aims to adhere to social model language while some of the contributors have chosen to identify differently.<\/em><\/p>\n

Conversations about accessibility within the SEO community have increased in recent years. <\/p>\n

Several experts and disability advocates have been speaking about accessibility for years, but the importance of digital accessibility was significantly amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The pandemic forced more people to engage online, whether it be for work, school or fun. As a result, 73%<\/a> of accessibility professionals saw an increase in accessibility awareness on digital channels throughout the pandemic, according to Deque. <\/p>\n

As it relates to our work in SEO, we\u2019re in a great position to be part of these efforts as we influence several accessibility-related fields. In fact, many times when we prioritize digital accessibility, it just so happens to also help our SEO efforts. That\u2019s not always the case when reversed.<\/p>\n

Now with great power comes great responsibility. Because our SEO recommendations can impact important website elements, such as site structure, UX and descriptions, we share ownership and responsibility <\/strong>in the accessibility of those items. <\/p>\n

Read that again.<\/p>\n

Another thing to remember is that it\u2019s not enough to provide accessibility-related recommendations to our clients from technical crawls, Chrome extensions, or tools alone. <\/p>\n

It is critical that we\u2019re including the very people we are trying to support<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important that when conversations around accessibility occur that people with disabilities are part of them,\u201d according to Alexandra Herold, the Founder & CEO of Patti + Ricky, an adaptive fashion marketplace. \u201cNot only should they have a seat at the table, they should be at the head of the table, leading the meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I\u2019ve asked deaf and disabled people to share the importance of digital accessibility, along with a few actionable tips for the SEO community to get started.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what will be covered:<\/p>\n

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  1. Title tags<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Headings<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Links<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Alt text<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Multimedia<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n
    \n

    Table of Contents<\/p>\nToggle<\/span><\/path><\/svg><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n